(no subject)

[serene]

The best moment from yesterday was when a young man said he couldn't vote because he's a felon. I said, "Did you finish your parole?"

"Yes."

"Then you're an EX-felon, and you can vote."

"Are you SURE?!?!?"

I showed him the FAQ, where it says clearly that once you've served your parole, you can vote, and he was SO excited. He registered, and now he can't wait to vote in the election. He had been feeling really disappointed that he couldn't vote at such an important time.

(In my opinion, people should be able to vote even if they're on parole or in prison, but that's not the way it is in California, where I live and vote.)

Comments

[aquaeri.livejournal.com]

And I think that "acting outside the scope" of what is usually just a few laws isn't remotely equivalent to rejecting the entire legal/socio-political system.

[rmjwell.livejournal.com]

Here's a list of felony crimes (not the entire list): aggravated assault and/or battery, arson, burglary, illegal drug abuse/sales, embezzlement, grand theft, treason, espionage, racketeering, robbery, murder, rape, kidnapping and fraud.

Aside from "illegal drug abuse/sales" I think that commission of any of these is a pretty good demonstration that the person who committed them is rejecting the system of laws that voting works to change.

[hitchhiker.livejournal.com]

but it's significant that the government has managed to get drug abuse listed as a felony.

[ailbhe]

"Treason" is pretty broad, too, when they want it to be.

[ailbhe]

Oh - and statutory rape is treated as rape very often; one hears of eg 19-year-olds and 17-year olds, etc.